PreludeThe elder walked across the barren landscape of Mars in his tripod, heading toward the city's center, where the meeting was to take place. He glanced around. The world was dying, and yet somehow they managed to survive for centuries. Amazing wasn't it? He finally arrived at the Council's temple, exited the vehicle, walked down a series of halls, found the meeting room and he opened the door, just in time to witness one of his kind, dead and bleeding from the orifices and the tentacle limbs were spread out and unmoving. He took his place on the throne that sat on a high pedestal. There were two more of his kind there with him, sitting on thrones similar to the one he was on.The meeting had begun. "The age of disillusionment and decay is over," the first elder, the one we were following said. "I have never before witnessed a mass telepathic execution, but today the remnants of our society have displayed their disheartenment and desperation. They have judged the Senior Elder to be ineffectual and have terminated his appointment in the harshest manner. The gravity of our situation is extreme." They looked down at the body of the Senior Elder being carried off to the incinerators. Back to business.The second spoke up, "Mars is incapable of sustaining life. Efforts to sustain the biosphere and atmosphere have failed. Our water tables have depleted, temperatures decrease annually and our populations dwindle in numbers." The third elder began to speak, "We have arrived at the final consequential course of action: the conquest and occupation of Earth, our young sunward neighbor." The second elder spoke again, "Earth is abundant with life, and the natural resources our ancestors have squandered upon are bountiful. The environment will seem uncomfortable but not inhibitive." The third spoke, "The problem is of course the humans. They have developed primitive intelligence, yet their young society remains structured around perpetual conquest and conflict. A rapid offensive to their social and economical heart should prevent any significant opposition." The first spoke had his chance to speak again, "The means and methods for this attack are already being realized. A large scale hydrogen accelerator will be constructed. This will launch suspension pods carrying the assault forces."The elders watched holographic videos of their new weapons being tested. A heat ray fired at a mountain, crumbling it to pieces. In a chamber was a humanoid Martian in a pod that filled with black smoke, suffocating the Martian to death. These Martians, the Inferiors, the "superior" Martians called them, were enslaved centuries ago and were used as a slave and nourishment source.The fist elder spoke as he stood, "We have not needed such destructive weaponry for over 5,000 years, but modifications to our modern technologies will take place and should prove adequate in defeating the inferior human defenses." Then he said the words that would seal the deal: "It is time for Mars to thrive again on Earth's unprotected soil."

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